Chapter Text
I, 1maginationPhoenix do not own Gravity Falls.
25/08/2025 : Monster Hunts/Ghost Hunts
Stories inspired by the Dipcifica Week 2025 – Prompts, Thanks to @dipcificaweek2025 on Tumblr.
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Adjusting to life back in Piedmont after Gravity Falls was ... challenging.
Mabel and Dipper had both changed in ways that their parents couldn’t understand, and they had experienced life filled with dangers, and Dipper especially suffered from nightmares. Sometimes they were about Bill, or they about all the near-death experiences he and Mabel had both had, twisted into the ‘What if they (He) – had failed’ scenarios. With those nightmares he could seek out Mabel (and Waddles) and they would talk and comfort each other.
There were some nightmares though that Dipper refused to share with Mabel. Those that reminded him of the three days that he had spent alone during Weirdmageddon. He didn’t bottle all the associated pain up, he had spoken about the horrors; with Wendy who had been in the same situation, and once with Stan before their 13th Birthday Party, he understood in a way that spoke of more than just Weirdmageddon. And to Dipper’s own surprise, he had also discussed it with Pacifica Northwest.
When the Twins had returned home, their parents had gifted both Mabel and Dipper with a cell phone each.
This gift actually helped soothe a lot of the pain the twins went, both using their new phones to make regular contact with Grunkles – who were terrible at texting, but determined to stay in touch. Mabel was of course in contact with Candy and Grenda every day, and also used the social media sites they had been allowed to set to stay in touch with almost everyone from Gravity Falls, as well as the physical letters with the Pen-Pal correspondences she had formed. Dipper was mostly in touch with Soos, and Wendy. And Pacifica Northwest. He didn’t quite know how it happened; even with the physical evidence in his phone. It began with a few awkward texts, then he had heard she had started working an after school job at Greasey’s Diner, and had sent her a message filled with a touch of snark, and genuine pride at her. Pacifica had responded in the same way; a way that had made Dipper snort in amusement.
And somehow they both fell into a natural rhythm of communicating with each other. Snarking at each other, keeping each other’s egos grounded, and also supporting the other. He was always willing to support her in breaking the chains her parents still tried to control, and she was the person he spoke to most about hunting monsters even in Piedmont (other than Mabel of course). Piedmont did not have as many mysteries as Gravity Falls, but they had found some. Mabel had a nice theory that ‘they were able top find them because they had their eyes open’. It was a theory that had a lot of basis in other areas; optimists tended to see more positives in the world because they were looking for positives, people who were thinking about something (even as simple as cracks in the ground) would see that thing more often. But Dipper liked Mabel’s wording best. Not just because it sounded nice, but also went against the other theories that state that the time you look for a thing, is the time when you don’t find it.
Being able to communicate with people from Gravity Falls, helped both Mabel and Dipper. Helped them both in keeping their eyes wide open, and helped them in adjusting to being back in a more regular life. But Dipper still had nightmares. And sometimes when he didn’t want to wake Mabel up, when it was too late (or early in the morning) for him to feel okay about messaging anyone in Gravity Falls. Dipper would sneak downstairs and turn the TV on low volume, and watch the Complete series of the ‘Ghost Harassers’ DVDs that Pacifica had given him at his and Mabel’s 13th Birthday Party. The show had always been his comfort series, and having them on hard copy was incredible.
It was one such night that a realisation struck Dipper.
How had Pacifica known to get him this show?
Yes, they had bonded over Ghost Hunting, and anyone would have been able to guess that Dipper liked Monster-Myserty Hunting and Ghost Hunting shows. But Dipper was also very aware that ‘Ghost Harassers’ was a very niche show, very unknown show. There were many other ‘ghost hunting’ TV shows that existed, many more popular ones, ones that like to dramatise events, or had better Special Effects. Even Gravity Falls with its odd and sometimes terrible TV had many options.
In Dipper’s experience; the only people who knew about his favourite version of the show ‘Ghost Harassers’, were people who already knew about it. People who deliberately went to look for it. That was why Dipper had been so excited about the Gravity Falls TV planning on showing a marathon of his comfort show. That night of the Northwest Party ... Dipper scrunched up his face and tried to remember if maybe he had complained about that to Pacifica.
But the thing is; he didn’t think he had mentioned anything about his favourite show. Mabel wouldn’t have, too excited about dressing up in fancy outfits. So how had Pacifica known? Unless ... unless she made a guess based on her own interests. A smirk began to sneak up on Dipper’s face. Was the Princess more of a nerd than she liked to let on? Did the two of them have more in common than he once could have conceived. Amazed by this thought, Dipper broke one of his own rules and reached for his phone to dial Pacifica’s cell phone number. Watching ‘Ghost Hunters’ was supposed to be his thing instead of waking other people up. But he wanted to laugh at Pacifica (and thank her) at this moment.
Three rings, then a very disgruntled voice answered.
“Dipper - If you are interrupting my beauty sleep at ‘no-one-should-be-awake-hour’ to talk to yet another stupid Ghost into being able to pass on; then so help me I will sue you for every worthless thing you own.”
Dipper laughed “If every thing I own is worthless then what would be the point of suing me? Besides I’ve only done that once.”
A very intense silence glared down the phone, so Dipper continued “I mean the second time he wasn’t actually a ghost, just a memory in a mirror, and the last time; I didn’t call you – We were already on Marius’s boat when the Ghost Pirate Ship arrived. Not my fault at all.”
Dipper heard Pacifica grumble and start to insult him in her snobbiest voice, and he smiled to himself. He’d come to realise that when Pacifica reverted to her snobbiest insults; that she was actually worried. It gave him a warm feeling to know she did actually care, and in return he was quick to reassure her.
“Hey, it’s okay – I haven’t snuck out, and I’m not Monster Hunting without Mabel or anyone else. I promise. Mabel’s in bed asleep, and I’m at home. The only Ghost Hunting that is going on is one of the episodes you got me for my birthday present.”
He heard Pacifica’s head fall back onto her pillow, and a sigh of relief. “Ugh, I knew a loser like you would like that lame show.”
Dipper’s smile turned into a smirk “Actually it’s what I wanted to talk to you about. How did you know that I like Ghost Harassers? I mean why this specific show – there are lots of ghost hunting shows, many more popular than the version you got me, how’d you know which was the right one to get?”
Dipper heard Pacifica huff, the huff that was a scoff of denial, confirming his suspicions; not just a random chance then.
“Pfft. I ... I asked Mabel. Obviously.”
“Well that absolutely a lie. You wouldn’t have had the chance to ask, and she would have told me. And besides she would have told you you to get me the show ‘Ghost Seekers’; she always gets those two mixed up*. Just because one of the Ghost Seekers show hosts is apparently ‘hot’.”
(*This wasn’t strictly true. Mabel did know the difference, but she enjoyed teasing Dipper by pretending not to know).
Pacifica scoffed again, and perhaps being tired allowed her truth to slip “Ugh, you mean that show that relies on special effects more than actually doing the work and going to haunted places.” Dipper couldn’t stop the pleased laughter from emerging, and revelled in Pacifica’s embarrassed silence. “Ha! I knew it – You’d only know that if you’d actually seen the shows. You like Ghost Harassers too.”
“Do not.” Pacifica’s voice was petulant and weak, and Dipper didn’t believe her for a second.
“Face it – you’re as much of a loser as I am. What would high society ever say. I wonder what other things we might both be dorks about? Video Games?”
It was a joke guess, Dipper was merely teasing Pacifica in the same way they’d been teasing each other since they had begun conversing. Only she made a sound that caught Dipper’s attention. And the silence that followed was different. Dipper’s mind screeched as another realisation struck him “Wait? Really?!”
He could just imagine the smirk on her face as Pacifica gained the upper hand in their conversation. “Bet I’m better than you are.”
“No way.”
“Hmm. Tell you what; go to sleep Dummy, and if you get a decent night’s sleep (I will check with Mabel); I’ll hop online in the weekend and you’ll see how much better than you I am.”
It was a weak trick to try and get Dipper to take care of his body. But it was also a challenge that intrigued Dipper enough to accept. And then when the weekend came, they did indeed play one of his favourite computer games. And yes it was a game in which Pacifica very smugly annihilated Dipper.
It was embarrassing (although a little bit exhilarating). On the other hand though, Dipper got Pacifica to agree to join in over the phone with watching the next Ghost Hunter’s T.V special, and honestly it was pretty cool to have a friend react with him.
Author’s Note:
Slightly different to what the prompt might generally inspire. But this is what came to my mind; and I found myself wanting to add more.
This fic is set Pre-Dipcifica, but with feelings definitely building (even if I think that Dipper is unaware, at least consciously at this time).
‘Ghost Harassers’ is from Gravity Falls, and as far as I know ‘Ghost Seekers’ isn’t a real show. But I do know that there have been a number of different ‘Searching for Ghosts’ type shows that exist, so that was what led me down this path with this story.
Posted - 25th August 2025.